The phrase swing meets electronics no doubt dredges up sour recollections o… Read Full Bio ↴The phrase swing meets electronics no doubt dredges up sour recollections of Jive Bunny and Lou Begas Mambo ..5. The idea can work magnificently, however, and the evidence is Swing-Swing, the sample-based solo outing by Frances Nicolas Repac. Hes known foremost as Arthur Hs ace guitarist, though hes loath to associate himself primarily with that instrument.

At 20, Repac dreamed of becoming the worlds greatest jazz guitarist, but soon realized that wouldnt pan out. For a decade, Repac let his six-string gather dust and focused on electronic production, until an offhand remark in the studio by Monsieur H got him noodling on a guitar again, and with renewed vigour. I no longer tried to be a guitarist, says Repac. I was simply playing music. It permitted me to open my spiritI would never be a virtuoso, so I could develop other things, imaginary things.

That imagination is in full swing on Swing-Swing. The tunes are at times playful and comic, at others tough, dark and very film noir. Some are little lower-case moments, others big, bold and brassy. And they draw on the many years and permutations that what might be called swing went through. What I like about this work is that I can make pieces cohabitate, a piece from the 20s with another from the 50s, or the 40s or 60s. It takes the machines into a somewhat poetic realm, because it allows meetings between people who would never have met.

Theres also a nutty inventiveness that suggests Carl Stalling and Raymond Scott, as musical instruments imitate horses and trains, while voices imitate instruments. Im a bit of a singer, so Im always singing things as onomatopoeias. I have a natural rapport to music, because Im self-taught, so I think that, fundamentally, Ive created myself an imaginary musical language. I really work only with my ears.

Put into loops, the samples become something very different from what they originally were. Multiplying those on several tracks, one makes a monster, a bit like Frankensteinits dead matter, it gets plugged in, kneaded and mixed, and all of a sudden, it gets up and walks.

Swinging In The Rain
Nicolas Repac Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Moses supposes his toeses are Roses,
But Moses supposes Erroneously,
But Moses he knowses his toeses aren't roses,
As Moses supposes his toses to be!
Moses supposes his toeses are Roses,
But Moses supposes Erroneously,
A Mose is a Mose!
A Rose is a Rose!

A Toes is Toes!
Hooptie doodie doodle
Moses supposes his toeses are Roses,
But Moses supposes Erroneously,
But Moses he knowses his toeses aren't roses,
As Moses supposes his toses to be!
Moses supposes his toeses are Roses,
But Moses supposes Erroneously,
A Mose is a Mose!
A Rose is a Rose!

A Toes is Toes!
Hooptie doodie doodle

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Nicolas Repac's song "Swinging In The Rain" are actually inspired by a scene from the classic musical movie "Singin' in the Rain". The song Moses supposes is a tongue-twisting, jazzy number that involves two characters, Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor), trying to come up with a suitable song and dance number to impress a movie producer. The lyrics are nonsensical and serve to show the characters' playfulness and sense of humor.

In the song, Moses is depicted as someone who thinks he knows everything but, in reality, is clueless. He supposes that his toes are roses, suggesting that he is delusional and vain. However, he eventually comes to the realization that a "Mose is a Mose" and a "Toes is Toes", which means that he accepts his true identity and doesn't try to be something he's not.

The song is upbeat and playful, with a catchy melody and jazzy instrumentation. It serves as a fun interlude in the movie, showcasing the talents of Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor. Overall, the lyrics of "Moses Supposes" are a representation of the characters' light-hearted and witty personalities.

Line by Line Meaning

Moses supposes his toeses are Roses,
Moses thinks that his toes look like roses.

But Moses supposes Erroneously,
But Moses is wrong in thinking this way.

But Moses he knowses his toeses aren't roses,
But Moses is aware that his toes do not actually look like roses.

As Moses supposes his toses to be!
Even though Moses thinks his toes look like roses, they really do not.

A Mose is a Mose!
A Moses is a Moses, and cannot be something else.

A Rose is a Rose!
A rose is a distinct object and cannot be something else.

A Toes is Toes!
Toes are distinct body parts and cannot be something else.

Hooptie doodie doodle
This line has no clear meaning and is perhaps just a playful phrase or sound added for effect.

Writer(s): Nicolas Repac Copyright: No Format!

Contributed by Mason B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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